CalL1 San Jose Giants

14-Game Road Trip Begins with 14-Inning Loss

May 15, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


MODESTO, CA - Modesto's Luis Jean beat out a slow roller to shortstop with two outs in the bottom of the 14th inning to score the winning run from third base lifting the Nuts to a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Giants on Sunday afternoon at John Thurman Field. The defeat, which came in the opener of a season-high 14-game road trip, was San Jose's (20-14) first walk-off loss this year.

Steven Duggar (3-for-6, 3B) and Chris Shaw (3-for-7, 2B, RBI) had three hits apiece to lead San Jose offensively in the loss. Shaw tied the contest 3-3 with an RBI double in the top of the eighth and neither team would score again until Modesto's game-winning tally in the 14th.

The bottom of the 14th inning rally began with a one-out single from Emerson Jimenez off of Giants reliever Jeff Soptic. Jimenez then stole second and moved to third when Omar Carrizales flied out to deep left. Jean was up next and he hit a slow grounder to the left side of the infield. Shortstop Brandon Bednar fielded the ball, but his running throw to first was late in an effort to retire Jean as Jimenez scored to give the Nuts a walk-off win.

Soptic (0-2) suffered the loss for San Jose. The right-hander, who entered the game to begin the bottom of the 12th, pitched 2 2/3 innings of long relief with one run and three hits allowed.

The Giants jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and second innings against Modesto starter Ryan Castellani. Back-to-back singles from Ronnie Jebavy and Duggar started the game to put runners on the corners with none out. Jebavy then scored when the next batter, Jonah Arenado, grounded into a double play.

In the second, Junior Arias drew a leadoff walk, moved to third on Bednar's single and scored when Ben Turner hit a sacrifice fly.

Mark Reyes started on the mound for San Jose and escaped trouble in the first two frames before the Nuts rallied for three runs in the bottom of the third. Jimenez led off with a single and then promptly stole second. Following a Carrizales walk and a successful double steal, Jean laced a triple to deep left plating both runners to tie the game. Dom Nunez then delivered a sacrifice to left scoring Jean for a 3-2 Modesto advantage.

Reyes lasted 5 1/3 innings during his start and surrendered three runs (all earned) and five hits. The left-hander walked a career-high six and struck out two.

The game remained at 3-2 until the Giants pushed across the tying run in the top of the eighth. Duggar started the inning with a 10-pitch at-bat as he hammered a triple to deep left center field. Following an Arenado groundout, Shaw stepped to the plate and lined a double into the right center gap to easily score Duggar to make it 3-3. Shaw though was stranded at second as Jose Vizcaino, Jr. flied out and Johneshwy Fargas struck out to end the inning.

San Jose had an opportunity to reclaim the lead in the top of the ninth putting the go-ahead run at third base with one out, but were unable to score. A walk to Bednar started the inning before a one-out single from Cristian Paulino put runners on the corners. Jebavy though struck out and following a walk to Duggar that loaded the bases, Arenado grounded out back to the pitcher to end the threat.

Dusten Knight (1 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO), Reyes Moronta (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) and Pat Young (3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings of relief for the Giants. Moronta struck out the side in a perfect bottom of the eighth before Young needed a total of just 13 pitches to work through the ninth and tenth innings. Modesto threatened in the 11th against Young as a leadoff single and consecutive two-out hit batters loaded the bases. Young though was able to retire Carrizales on a groundout to second to keep the game tied.

In the top of the 12th, Shaw and Vizcaino produced back-to-back two-out singles, but Fargas followed with a fly out to center to end the inning. Bednar reached on an error to leadoff the top of the 13th, but the next three batters were retired before San Jose was set down 1-2-3 in the 14th.

Meanwhile, Soptic used a double play to work around a one-out single in the bottom of the 12th. He then struck out the side in a perfect 13th inning before the Nuts rallied to win the game in the 14th.

Logan Sawyer (1-1) pitched the top of the 14th for Modesto to earn the win.

Notes:

* The 14 innings played marked San Jose's longest game of the season to date. It was the Giants' second extra-inning game of the year (1-1 record).

* San Jose out-hit Modesto 14-10. The Giants were 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

* The four San Jose relievers combined to pitch 8 1/3 innings with one run and five hits allowed (no walks, eight strikeouts).

* Shaw's double was his league-leading 13th of the season.

* The Nuts stole five bases in the game, including three from Jimenez.

* Modesto has won two out of the first three games of the home-and-home series with the Giants.

* San Jose's season-high seven-game road winning streak was snapped.

* Sunday's game time was four hours and 10 minutes - a season-high for the Giants.

On Deck: The Giants and Nuts wrap-up their four-game series on Monday evening with first pitch at John Thurman Field scheduled for 7:05 PM. Jason Forjet (4-1, 4.91 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Modesto is expected to counter with Yency Almonte (2-3, 4.88 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:35 PM.

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